The day started out bright and sunny. The birds sang their sweet song and flitted from tree to tree. Only a few fluffy, fair weather clouds punctuated the beautiful blue sky. Anyman whistled as he walked along the firm, certain path and content to enjoy the beauty of the day and to praise the Creator for all that is good. He talked at times with his traveling Companion, a delightful Friend he had met many years ago.
Anyman walked on, looking here and there as he took in the wonderful, delightful day. Before too long, Anyman noticed that the ground under foot was a bit softer than he remembered. When he looked up, he noticed that the blue sky had somehow darkened with the advent of storm. With the crack of thunder and a sudden downpour of rain, a tremendous storm broke over the man. The ground beneath his feet quickly turned into a quagmire as Anyman struggled on his way. There was a brilliant flash of lightning, and Anyman grabbed at his heart as a searing pain tore through it. With an explosion of thunder, Anyman felt the shudder of his soul. The pelting rain drove hard, seeming to drive the frightened man to the ground. There was another wicked flash of white lightning and another stab of pain through his heart.
Anyman pressed on as the quagmire of mud grew deeper. In a sudden realization he felt the stinging pain as the mud from below began to cover him. Some splashed onto his face, and the sting came instantly. Deeper he sank in the mud. He looked for a way of escape and found that he had somehow wandered into a ditch that was fast filling with inescapable mud and water. Anyman struggled to the side of the ditch as the furious roar of thunder resonated deep into his soul. The lightning flashed once, twice, three times, and Anyman doubled over from the tremendous pain that wracked his heart. He struggled to the side of the ditch and clawed a little way toward the top, only to slide back into the quagmire. He was frantic now, searching for the path he had somehow left. The rains pounded down on him unmercifully. The lightning crackled, and the thunder hammered. Deeper he fell into the mud and could barely move. It was now to his waist and threatening to rise higher. On he struggled, clawing with burning hands and struggling to wade through the stinging mud. Again the thunder shattered the blackened sky and shook the wounded man to the depths of his soul. In the tempest all had become black. The mud had splattered into his face, forcing him to close his eyes against the darkness of the furious storm. The lightning split the sky, and Anyman cried out in torment as his heart ached with the intolerable pain. He screamed as the thunder tore at his soul.
“Why are You doing this,” cried the wounded man, as he looked toward the heavens.
He searched around for his traveling Companion, but could not find him. The consuming mud now reached to his neck, and Anyman was powerless to move and to avoid the searing pain that shattered his heart and soul.
“It is too much,” shouted the man. “It is too much!”
He struggled through the mud even as it reached to his chin and continued higher. As the dark storm hurled its strength against the doomed man, Anyman remembered One who would help. In desperation as the stinging, thick mud began to devour him, he cried out “God, help me!” And, then, he slipped beneath the suffocating clutches of the stinging mud.
In that same moment Anyman felt the strong arms of his Companion reach down and pull him upward. His Companion pulled him free of the mud’s embrace and cradled him in those strong arms. In his torment and pain Anyman tried to peer through blurry eyes at the face of his beloved Companion. Then, Anyman felt the gentle hand wipe away the mud from his eyes, and he saw again the face of Love. And in safety Anyman melted into the strong arms of Grace. As the winds howled and the storm lashed out in fury Grace carried Anyman to the path and set him down. Grace reached down and wiped the mud from his face and revealed the cuts and bruises caused by the debris from the ditch.
“Why did this happen,” asked Anyman.
“Search your heart,” replied Grace.
“Someone must have pushed me from the Path,” said Anyman.
“Search your heart,” replied Grace again with deep love.
“I wasn’t paying attention,” said Anyman, the pain of his heart deepening.
“Search your heart,” said Grace.
Anyman shook as he wept. “I did this. I left the Path. I tried to go my own way.”
Grace reached down with tender love and brushed aside more of the grim and filth from the ditch. The rain continued to fall, washing away more of the painful mud and revealing the deep wounds. Anyman stared at the wounds of his heart and wept more. Love reached down with a tender smile and poured into the wounds the sweet, refreshing balm of forgiveness. Anyman cried out in pain as Grace cleansed the wounds from the filth of sin’s mud that had crept into the wounds. “It is more than I can bear” Anyman cried aloud again. But Grace reached over and touched his heart and said, “The pain is necessary for the healing. I will bear you up. Trust me.”
With tears in his eyes, Anyman buried his face in Love’s chest and surrendered to the hands of Grace. In repentance he felt Love’s holy embrace. In repentance he felt the warmth of God’s Grace.
“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5 (NASB)
